Chapter 23
After Hurley left the hotel he headed to Charlie's. Margo and Claire were out for their weekly bridge at the club and Hurley offered to baby-sit with him. He pulled over and went into the house. Jack was also there, which surprised Hurley.
– Dude, you're here! –he told Jack, confused.
– Yeah, so what? –Jack replied, amused.
– You didn't work?
– I had the evening off.
– Oh! Right, I know… –Hurley replied, giving Jack a mischievous look, which confused Jack.
– You know what? –he asked, intrigued.
Hurley glanced at Charlie, who was in the garden with the children. Then told Jack in a lower voice: – I know Brooke's here. I ran into her at the hotel. You don't have to be so secretive, you know?
Jack's face dropped when he heard that. He had no idea what to say and got really tense. Hurley noticed it. – Dude, everything alright? –he asked Jack.
– Yeah. Where did you see her? –Jack asked back, nervous.
– At the lobby bar.
– Right. Was she… with someone? –Jack questioned, a little concern in his voice.
– She was alone. Waiting for you, I guess. You better hurry man, enjoy your precious time, since she's leaving early in the morning, right?
Jack felt his head spin. – Right. Listen… nobody knows she came and I would like to keep it that way, okay? –he said, looking at Charlie and the kids.
– Oh, no problem, dude. Have fun, I'll just… make something up.
– Great, thanks.
Jack left Claire's house and went home. He needed to call Brooke. He felt upset he had found out she was in LA via Hurley. Why she didn't tell me?, he thought. At his studio, he took his cell phone and dialed Brooke. No answer. He dialed again and another time. No response. That annoyed him. Pick up, pick up. But there was no answer yet.
A feeling of anxiety started growing inside him. Why wasn't she picking up? Maybe she's in the middle of something, he thought. But then he remembered Hurley saw her at the bar doing nothing. Maybe her cell phone was out of her reach. He thought of zillion reasons for her not to pick up.
Then he thought of another possibility. Maybe she didn't want to talk to him. Why? It's been only 2 weeks. I never said I'd never call again. He called her again, and again she didn't answer. He thought of the worst: maybe she was with somebody. Someone. That thought made him surprisingly mad. He wouldn't allow it. He liked Brooke, he wanted her. And he always got what he wanted. Most of the times, at least. This time wouldn't be an exception. This time he wouldn't let another man win the woman he wanted.
He dialed Brooke's number once more, unless this time her voice mail answered. Hello, you're reaching Brooke Julian, I can't answer right now, please leave a message and I'll call you back…
The sound of her hoarse voice made him shiver. She had a sexy voice. He didn't leave a message. He hung up and felt more upset. She had turned off her phone. Damn it, he thought. But now he was determined. He had to see her. He thought of asking Patrick if he knew Brooke was in town, but he dropped it. He was an adult and must behave like one.
Back in the hotel, Brooke came out of the bathroom wearing sweat pants and a tank top, her wet, messy hair on her shoulders. She caught Ilana staring at her cell phone.
– What the hell are you doing? –she asked Ilana, annoyed.
– I'm sick of this damn thing ringing! Pick up.
– I'm not picking up.
– Why not? –Ilana snapped back.
– I don't want to.
– You don't want to answer Jack? –Ilana asked not believing her ears.
– Nope. Is that a problem? –Brooke snapped, and then the cell phone rang again.
– Well, sure it is a problem, especially when he's insisting insanely! You'll just let it ring till the battery runs out? I'm not planning on sleeping with your ring tone as a lullaby!
The phone kept ringing. It made Ilana crazy. She had a problem with phones, she couldn't let them ring more than two times without picking up and it filled her with anxiety when they were left unattended. Brooke didn't seem to care. She was definitely enjoying Jack's insistence. – Sure, why not? –Brooke replied.
– I'm picking up. –Ilana threatened.
– I'll fucking kill you if you do!
– Damn it Brooke! Why you're doing this? He just wants to talk to you! And you want to talk to him as well, what the hell are you doing? –Ilana said, desperate.
– He doesn't want to talk to me. He just wants to know if Hurley really saw me.
– Whatever! Just pick up! Why you do this to yourself? Jesus!
– I'm not doing anything. I'm not answering, period. –Brooke affirmed vehemently.
– Then I'll turn the damn phone off.
Brooke looked deeply at Ilana, not happy with the idea, but then she nodded. – Fine, turn it off.
And so did Ilana. Brooke stood there, waiting for Ilana to ask million questions which she was willing to answer, because she needed to listen to herself saying why it was best not to answer Jack's call. But Ilana wouldn't give her the chance to justify herself and just took the remote and went back zapping the TV. Brooke understood the message and just laid on the bed, silent. She really wanted to talk to Jack, but she thought there was no use, at least not at that moment. Maybe he'd call her again, once she got back to New York. She felt uneasy and sad again.
After dwelling on it for what seemed forever, Jack decided to look for Brooke at the hotel. He rushed to his car and drove there. Seeing her had become an obsession for him in the last couple of hours.
Those couple hours felt like an eternity to Brooke. Ilana hadn't said a word to her since she'd turned off the phone. It was too early for Brooke to fall asleep, not that she could anyway.
When Jack got there, he walked straight to the front desk and asked to the girl attending to dial Brooke Julian's room.
– We don't have any registrations under that name, sir. –the attendant told him.
That frustrated Jack. Now he was positive Brooke was with someone. Or what if she wasn't even staying in that hotel? He had to make sure. – Listen, this is important. –he told the girl. – I really need to know if she's staying here, maybe under someone else's name? She's a fashion editor from New York, I'm sure you know her. –he demanded, his hands on the front desk.
– I'm sorry sir, I'm not allowed to give that information away. –the girl replied coolly.
– I'm not a stalker or anything, I'm a doctor, maybe you can check… –he tried in despair.
– I'm terribly sorry, Doctor. I can't. –the girl said, cutting him off.
Jack was evidently upset. Where to look? If Brooke was with someone, how to now who it was? Think Jack, think. Then it hit him. – Kritzer. Try Ilana Kritzer, please. –he ordered the girl.
The girl rolled her eyes, but seeing he was determined, she checked for the name. – Okay, she's staying with us. You want me to dial sir?
– Yes, please. Then ask for Brooke Julian and tell her Jack Shephard is waiting for her at the lobby, okay?
– Okay.
Ilana was falling asleep of boredom. Brooke was also trying to sleep and didn't move when the phone rang in the room. Ilana picked up. – Hello? Yes, who is this? Right… Okay, I'll be down in 5 minutes, okay? –Then Ilana hung up.
– Who was that? –Brooke asked, clueless.
– Get up.
– What?
– Jack's waiting for you at the lobby.
Brooke's jaw dropped. – What? No fucking way! How? No way! Tell him I'm not here!
– You tell him yourself. I already said you'll be down in 5, so…
– Why you did that? How did he find me anyway?
– Smart boy. How the hell should I know?
– I'm not going.
– Jesus Christ! I'm sick of you, really. You're worse than a 12 year-old. Look, if you don't go down, he'll come knocking to this door and then I'll have to leave and I'm not taking another room, so just go. – Ilana ordered her, determined.
– But I look like shit.
– You can never look like shit. Just put on some shoes and go. –Ilana told Brooke, with a softer tone.
Brooke nodded and quickly took off her sweat pants and put on her jeans instead. She left the white tank top she was wearing and just put on a pair of sneakers. It was kind of cold, so she put on a jacket. She was ready to go. – I'm so nervous. –she told Ilana.
– Don't be. He sure wants to tell you something. Just let him talk.
– Wish me luck. –she breathed deeply. – Okay, then.
She left the room and walked to the elevator. The doors opened in front of her. She stepped in and pushed the "L" button. Her hands were shaking.